A few days ago, as part of an event hosted by Columbia Journalism school, Nahed El Tantawy, Nina Ansary, and Lisa Goldman took part in a panel with the title “Alternate Narratives of the Middle East: Coverage of Women.” I’d recommend everyone go watch it, even thought at the beginning much of the discussion covered well-worn ground – Middle Eastern women are not all Muslim, they don’t all cover, they are not all oppressed, they don’t all have the same... Read more
Australia Monique Toohey, a Muslim psychologist, met with Australian Labor MPs on Wednesday to discuss the need to change Australia’s tone on the discussion about violent extremism and Muslims. Toohey, who has experienced online bullying for her activism, is calling for the government to consult with Muslim communities in order to develop well-rounded de-radicalization programs. Canada In Canada, Zarqa Nawaz, creator of Little Mosque on the Prairie and Me and the Mosque, was quoted comparing the Canadian Conservative government’s stands... Read more
I am apparently on a book review kick for MMW, with my last post being about the interfaith anthology Faithfully Feminist, and next week’s post on Michel Houllebecq’s Submission (stay tuned). This week’s book review is for a lovely little book in French, Des voix derrière le voile (Voices behind the Veil) by the French journalist Faïza Zerouala. It tells the story of ten women who have chosen to wear headscarves (one of whom also wears niqab) in France. France... Read more
Sara Niroobakhsh “illustrates with artistry the ongoing conflict between the desires and ambitions of Iranian women stripped of agency in a man’s world.” Bake Off winner Nadiya has “done more for British Muslim women than politicians” Puteri Hasannah Karunia is a popular Indonesian fashion blogger trying to change stereotypes of muhajjabas. 77 female lecturers sue Cairo University President, Gaber Nassar, for banning niqab among staff Deeyah Khan writes that “women in the Muslim world have been resisting extremism on the ground... Read more
In Mexico City there is a neighbourhood called Santa María La Ribera. The area was an affluent neighbourhood during the 19th and early 20th centuries; however, since the 50s it has become more of a lower-middle class vicinity. Yet, the old mansions remain as a permanent reminder of the city’s aristocratic history. At the centre of this neighborhood there is a 19th century kiosk in the mudéjar style. The kiosk was designed by a Mexican engineer and put together in... Read more
Hijab-shaming is a favourite activity for some Muslims, both on-and offline. In fact, just last month I attended a religious class where the teacher spent a good half hour doing just that (I had to stop going for my mental health). While meeting up with a girlfriend last week, she regaled me with the details of a religious class where the female teacher showed examples of “improper hijab” from a selection of hijabi Instagram users – young women who were... Read more
Trigger warning for discussion of domestic violence. The author of this piece wishes to remain anonymous. It’s difficult to write this. There are some things that are difficult to tell anyone. They seem too outlandish to be real to anyone else. There are perspective shifts involved that you know wouldn’t be possible unless someone had lived your exact life. It makes sense only in the context of your own experience. Because of that experience, you can stand looking at bruises... Read more
In Montreal, teenagers knocked a pregnant Mulslim woman to the ground by grabbing her hijab. Some have linked the attack to anti-Muslim bigotry fuelled by the federal debate over the place of the niqab in Canadian citizenship ceremonies. Statistics released by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) points out that “Muslim female participation in the workforce is significantly lower in comparison to that of their Jewish, Christian and Druze counterparts.” How can a Muslim woman be a feminist? Arshi Dokadia answers. Muslim... Read more
MMW is looking for more writers to analyze and critique media representations of Muslim women. If you’re interested, email associate.editor@muslimahmediawatch.org with two or more writing samples, any experience you have (school- or job-related), and tell us a little bit about yourself: why you’d like to write for us, and what you think your perspective could add to our site. Email us if you have questions, too! Make sure to put “MMW Contributor” and your name in the subject title, so... Read more
This post originally appeared in New Canadian Media. The recent decision in Canada by the Federal Court of Appeal that ruled in favour of Zunera Ishaq, who challenged the ban on the niqab at Canadian citizenship ceremonies, has resurrected a non-issue into an election topic. During last week’s French language leaders’ debate and in the political commentary that followed, the niqab, and related ruling, was consistently brought up as an issue. Incredible, considering the Charter of Rights protects the rights of a woman making... Read more
Muslimah Media Watch
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In